Real gross domestic product rose for a seventh consecutive month, edging up 0.1% in August. Growth was concentrated in oil and gas extraction and finance and insurance, which more than offset declines in 12 of 20 industrial sectors.

The output of services-producing industries edged up 0.1%, while output was essentially unchanged for goods-producing industries.

The mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector posted the largest increase in activity in August, rising 0.9% to nearly offset the declines in the two previous months.

The oil and gas extraction subsector was up 1.9%, led by a 3.2% rise in non-conventional oil extraction as crude bitumen and total crude production in Alberta reached record levels. Conventional oil and gas extraction (+0.8%) was up for the third month in a row, largely as a result of growth in natural gas extraction.